He's back // Negan x Reader

Chapter 68 // A Lock, A Daily Reminder, A Spark Of Relief

"Well, have fun, I guess," I smiled, raising an eyebrow as we reached the bottom of the stairs. "Sure, will do, mum!" Hecate told me, showing off her finger guns. Laughing, I turned to Sam. He nodded, smiling, with his eyes closed for two seconds. "Don't worry," He told me, "I'll look after her, these guys don't even talk back to us" I mouthed a 'thank you' and smiled, pushing my lips together for a second. "And Scott, it was nice to finally meet you," I grinned to him, hinting that I knew about the two. He laughed, only a little shyly, "Here too" and with that, they turned to leave. Before they did, I hugged Hecate - which she said was 'embarrassing'. Then I waved them goodbye and they walked out of the doors and went to go on their run to the Kingdom.

Soon, Simon walked by - while I was watching the three go to the other saviours joining them for the run. "Y/N," He nodded, smiling as usual. Smiling for a second, I greeted him back. "Going to the Kingdom too?" I asked, making small conversation. "Yup," He huffed. "Unusually tired today, you see... but, I've got to keep doing my job," He smiled, then told me he had to go. After he left, I watched him walk away for a second, also arcing an eyebrow for that moment.

As I turned to leave, and head back upstairs, my eyes connect with others I wish I could forget. We exchanged hard stares while I was turning. I swung my head away, and walked up the stairs - I could still feel her eyes burning into the back of my head as I did. 'Bitch.'  The sickness and hatred that swirled inside of me after seeing her face was almost indescribable. She was so egocentric, I was surprised that she hadn't tried to take Negan's place yet.

I, finally, got to the top of the stairs and to our room. I turned the door knob, but it didn't open. Thinking it was just me, doing it with too little force, I tried it again. This could only lock from the inside. I rattled the door by the door knob, and banged my fist against the door. My heart raced fast. I held my breath and tensed up.

After having the thought of someone taking Negan's place, by murder, I became anxious. "Negan?!" I yelled, still shaking and banging the door. "Y/N? What are you doing? Just come in!" He yelled back, only in slight concern. A shaky sigh of relief left my lips as I calmed down and stopped. "The door's locked," I told him. "Locked?" I heard him mutter. I listened as his footsteps grew near to the door, and tried opening it himself. "Oh, yeah, it is," I heard the noise of the lock open and I swung the door open in a hurry.

I lauched myself towards him and quickly wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him. "Holy shit- are you okay?" He asked, chuckling lightly in surprise. His arms slowly wrapped around me, to hug back. I buried my face on his shoulder, "you fucking scared me you piece of shit!" I pushed back on his shoulders, his arms still around me, and I hit at his chest - frowning.

He held tightly to my waist, smiling with a single eyebrow furrowed, "What?" I huffed, crossed my arms, and turned my head to the side. He scared the literal living shit out of me, and was acting as if nothing happened. "Y/N...?" He leant forward, so my forearms were pressed up against his chest - and I couldn't move away anymore. "You won't even tell me, why are you so mad?" He asked, trying to be all cute to make me smile.

And it worked. A smile cracked onto my face; as much as I tried to stop it, it still came through. I turned to him, taking a deep breath then pouting, "I thought something happened to you! The door is never locked, unless we're both in here" He hung his head back for a second, chuckling deeply for a couple of seconds. "Is that all?" He asked, "You know that I'd be alright" "That doesn't mean I won't worry! And what if you weren't okay?" I brang my shoulders up, so they hugged my neck. He told me to relax, smiling softly, "It's fine..."

"It's not..." I muttered. He hummed, "'It's not', is it?" I shook my head, slightly upset he thought it was all okay. "Why not?" He raised both of eyebrows. Pulling a straight face, I muttered again, "Because, what if something really did happen to you? Then what?"

Any signs of amusement and any sort of smile on his face vanished slowly in a silent sigh. His arms around me relaxed as he spoke. "You really got that scared?" He asked, speaking a bit more seriously. I nodded slightly, looking down to where my arms touched his chest. "Well, I'm sorry doll," He apologised, "If I made it up to you, will you be happy then? You know I don't like it when you're sad. Especially if it's my fault"

I slowly shrugged. "But, you know," He started, moving one hand behind him, "I was going to wait for a bit, for a better situation, but since we're like this at the moment..." He swung his hand back over to me, but infront of my face. Using his index and middle fingers, he held up an item. At first, it didn't hit me, but when it did: I was in utter disbelief.

"Wait- Negan? No... what? Wait..." I muttered random words to myself, realising what he held was a small, simple, but thoughtful ring. My arms moved in a flash, my hands slapped onto my mouth as my eyes widened in shock - the air stuck in my lungs. As he also moved his other hand to rub the back of his head, I took a step back. "I know it's not a big thing, fuck it's not even anything romantic, but... I thought that, maybe, you'd still like it-" He tried to explain.

This was one of those 'once in a blue moon' moments where Negan would get really nervous and shy. But, I secretly loved it. I knew I was upset with him a while ago, but he probably just ruined something to get me from there to happy. And, it worked.

A huge grin creeped onto my face. "I don't care that it's not something big, I care more that you've even thought of it - especially in these times" I frowned happily at him. "So, you'll take it?" He muttered, a little nervously. "I would never say no," I then nodded, telling him 'yes'. He quickly, and shakily, slipped it onto my finger. "And, before you say anything, it's fine. There were two," He held up another, the exact same but a bit bigger, almost as if he read my mind. Before he could put it on himself, "No, no, let me" I smiled, and took it, putting it on his finger.

I didn't know whether I wanted to cry, hug him or fall. So I did all three. Throwing my arms around around his chest, I fell into him, and cried happy tears. His warm arms ran around my back as he hugged me.

And sure, like he said, it wasn't anything big, or romantic. But I wouldn't have changed the way he did it for the world - literally. I knew what he was trying to say with the ring, and I knew that he got too shy in the moment. But he knew that I didn't mind, and he knew that I understood.

And now we both know where we stand with eachother is that bit bigger. Yes, a ring wasn't going to make our worth as a couple any more than what we already were. But it sure as fuck meant a lot to both of us. It was like a lock, a daily reminder, a spark of relief. Relief that if we weren't together in that moment, we still had a part of eachother with us - that could, literally, last forever.